


Mask of Perfection

by W0W



Series: Fluffy Fuchsia famILY [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Deception, melt downs, remus makes an appearance, sick sides
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:34:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21556309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/W0W/pseuds/W0W
Summary: Set 4 months after Moral Meltdown. Patton seems to be doing better after their cuddle session, but is he really?Can be read alone.
Series: Fluffy Fuchsia famILY [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1197679
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	Mask of Perfection

He sighed as he picked up the cat cardigan lying on his bed and tied it around his shoulders. Giving one last longing, pained look at the lump of blankets concealing the side that had finally cried himself to sleep. He picked up the glasses on his bedside table and sunk into the kitchen.  
Flicking on the coffee pot, he turned to the fridge to begin breakfast. Ah! Thank goodness for food prep! He pulled the pancake batter from the fridge and set it on the counter. Walking to the pantry, he grimaced at the griddle-pancakes seemed impossible this morning. Good thing pancakes and waffles use the same batter! He pulled down the waffle iron that made heart shaped waffles and hummed a happy Disney tune as he began making breakfast.  


“Salutations Patton.” Logan greeted, settling his tie into place and grabbing a coffee mug from the cabinet.  


“Morning Logan!” The other sang out, layering waffles onto a plate. “Rest well?”  


“My rest was indeed satisfactory, and yours?” Logan poured himself a cup of coffee, turning to rest his back against the counter.  


“Oh, I slept waffle good!” he chuckled to himself as he moved to the fridge, pulling out whip cream and berries. “I had berry good creams”  


“Patton. We have discussed this.” Logan sighed as he took a long drink of his coffee. “Multiple pun statements are not permitted before 10 am for the sake of your safety and my sanity.”  


His shoulders drooped as he slowly began slicing strawberries. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”  


“You were doing so well, three weeks without torturing me over breakfast by murdering the English language.” Logan shook his head as he re-filled his coffee cup.  


“Murder! Who murders on this marvelous morning?” Roman called out as he descended the stairs.  


“Patton double punned.” Logan stated with disdain, prepping a plate with a waffle and several scoops of fruit and moving to the table.  


“Ah, I see.” Roman sighed sympathetically. “Well Padre! Tomorrow is a new day! You must simply begin once more!” He clapped a hand to Patton’s shoulder before piling his plate with waffles, fruit, whipped cream and syrup.  


“Course. You’re right Roman.” he smiled, turning to make his own plate, as well as one for Virgil, who had begun the slow, thudding trek down the steps. “Mornin’ kiddo! I made waffles!”  


“Thanks Patton.” He grunted as he took the plate and poured himself a cup of coffee.  


“Course!” He replied cheerily, piling his single waffle with whip cream and syrup, completely burying it.  


“Whoa Pat!” Virgil’s eyes went wide as he pulled the plate away and scraped some of the whip cream off.”Let’s have some actual food with the sugar, okay?”  


He pouted and accepted the plate back, cutting the waffle into bite sized pieces. When he’d cleared his plate, he took it to the kitchen and began washing it. He jumped slightly as the other’s plates were dropped into the sink, their owners walking away. He frowned as he began washing them, as well as the batter bowl and the waffle iron. Before he had finished, Virgil was bringing in several dishes and stacking them next to the sink.  


Logan soon entered as well, dumping out the remaining bit of coffee in the coffee pot and grumbling about the fact that Patton hadn’t started a new pot. He apologized softly as he finally finished the dishes and began to put away the breakfast toppings.  


“Ah Logan!” Roman declared as he entered the kitchen. “I’ve been looking for you! Come, we must review the new script!”  


“In a moment Roman, someone failed to replenish the coffee.” Logan responded, tersely glancing at Patton. The coffee pot finished and Logan refilled his cup. “Come, let’s get to this so the video doesn’t go up late, again.”  


“Oh Patton, could you empty the dishwasher for me?” Roman called as he led Logan from the room. “Thanks! You’re the best!”  


He sighed and began to empty and reload the dishwasher. By the time he’d finished cleaning the kitchen, he was proper exhausted. He moved to the living room and sat heavily on the couch. No sooner had he sat than Virgil came down the steps carrying an overflowing laundry basket.  


“Patton, you, um, didn’t grab my laundry last week so I figured I’d just, kinda bring it down for you to run.” Virgil shifted from foot to foot nervously  


“Oh of course kiddo. My bad!” He pasted a cheerful smile on his face and rose to grab the basket from Virgil.  


Virgil’s face went slightly dark. “Patton, we talked about this. I’m not your kiddo or your son, or your little angel bean and it’s really degrading to have you talk about me like that.”  


“Oh gosh Virgil.” His face fell and he looked down to the ground. “I’m so sorry. I, I forgot. Won’t happen again. I promise.”  


Virgil nodded and turned on his heels and he carefully lugged the basket to the laundry room, a heavy weight settling in his chest and a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  


As he finished starting the washer, the clock chimed out 11:30 and he sighed, moving to the kitchen to search the cabinets. Another sigh left him as he closed cabinets with nothing in them and fought the urge to jump as Logan and Roman rose into the dining room, still hashing out details of the script.  


“Patton I am famished!” Roman declared, cutting Logan off. “What are you preparing for lunch?”  


“Though Roman is, once again, infuriatingly exaggerative, I too find myself ready for midday nurishment.” Logan adjusted his glasses and glared slightly at the other.  


“Oh, um, I hadn’t quite figured that out yet.” He looked down to avoid the anger and frustration that appeared on their faces. “Any requests?”  


“Grilled cheese and tomato soup.”  


He jumped and spun around to see Virgil sat on top of the fridge.  


“Delightful!”  


“Adequate.”  


Roman and Logan sat down at the table and continued to work through the newest script as Virgil slunk from the fridge to join them in reviewing the script.  


He bit his lip to control the tears of frustration welling in his eyes as he began making the food for the others, listening to them argue over the script and what he should or shouldn’t be allowed to say, anger welling up as his own possible opinions weren’t even considered. He bit his lip harder as he stirred the soup and prepared the sandwiches.  
His lip was sore and blood was beginning to well in his mouth as he brought the bowls of soup and sandwiches over to the table.  


“They are plain.” Logan sighed in exasperation.  


“And you didn’t cut them for us.” Roman pouted.  


“Are you mad at us or something Patton?” Virgil glared from beneath his bangs.  


“No! Ki-guys,” He sighed and looked to the ground again. “I’m so sorry. I just, zoned out and forgot.”  


“You’re doing an awful lot of forgetting and apologizing this morning.” Logan rolled his eyes as he moved to get another mug of coffee before rolling his eyes in exasperation. “And you’ve once again failed to ensure the coffee is fresh.”  


“Are you feeling okay Padre?” Roman asked, eyebrows raised as he bit his lip again, drawing fresh blood to the surface.  


“Peachy keen jelly bean!” H responded with a tight lipped smile, aware of the blood in his mouth.  


“Bullshit Patton.” Virgil groaned as he gathered the bowls of soup. “The soup is cold and the sandwiches aren’t right. You’re obviously not feeling well.”  


“Are they safe to eat?” Roman poked dubiously at the sandwich on his plate.  


Logan sighed as he gathered up the plates to take them to the trash. “Why don’t you ever just tell us you are unwell?”  


“Would you have listened if I had?” Patton asked from his place at the bottom of the stairs.  


“Wait…” Roman glanced back and forth between the side dressed like Patton and the one on the steps.  


“Deceit!” Virgil growled, slamming his fists on the table.  


“Yes well done.” Deceit drawled as he crossed over to Patton, draping the cat cardigan in its rightful place before phasing out of the disguise to his own signature colors. “It’s about time you guessed.”  


“Be kind.” Patton accepted Deceit’s hand as he stepped into the living room, leaning heavily on the other.  


“Why should I? They weren’t.” Deceit huffed as he helped Patton to the table.  


“Why?” Virgil growled as Deceit settled Patton at the table and sat next to him and summoned a bowl of soup.  


“Because he realized when no one else did and offered to help.” Patton let Deciet’s arm come around his shoulder and bring a spoonful of soup to his mouth.  


“So he pretended to be you for the day to what? Teach us a lesson?” Roman exclaimed, eyeing the snake like side warily, hand gripping his sword as the other began to chuckle darkly.  


“A day?” Deceit laughed more. “Oh Roman, foolish, oblivious Roman.”  


“This isn’t the first day you’ve done this.” Logan glowered as he sat at the table beside Roman and Virgil.  


“Bravo Logan. So clever.” Deceit rolled his eyes as he continued to feed Patton soup.  


“Stop mocking them.” Patton said tiredly, his head resting on Deceit’s shoulder between each bite.  


“How long?” Virgil asked, voice choked and eyes watering.  


“Since about a week after you finally realized I was code red.” Patton responded quietly.  


“After...Patton, that was over four months ago. Surely we’ve moved past that little issue.” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in exasperation.  


“Yes because wounds heal instantly and sorry fixes everything.” Deceit rolled his eyes again as he carefully continued to feed Patton.  


“Stop it.” Patton weakly pushed against Deceit, doubling over in a coughing fit.  


“What’s wrong with him?” Virgil asked chewing at his thumb nervously.  


Deceit ignored Virgil, rubbing Patton’s back as he covered his mouth.  


Logan’s brow was furrowed and Roman was up pacing the room as Patton’s coughing fit dragged on.  


“Really? No response?” Deceit heaved a sigh and summoned a glass of water and a cup of tea. He carefully brought the water to Patton’s lips first, coaxing him to drink. “You’re okay Patton, just drink the water.”  


“What is wrong.” Logan demanded.  


“I am sick Logan.” Patton looked up at him, glaring as best as he could with red watery eyes and a sore throat. “I am ill, I am overworked and” he broke off in another coughing fit.  


“And you lot have continued to force your chores and anger onto him every single day. For four months.” Deceit glared as he rubbed Patton’s back. “You all climbed into bed with him the night of his breakdown and had breakfast in bed but by lunch time that day you were back to treating him the exact same as before!” He stood up harshly, still supporting Patton as he threw his chair back. “You acted as if saying sorry fixed everything! He’d been on the edge of a full Code Red meltdown for three weeks before you noticed! He’s been exhausted and sick for five months now! But no, care about how your sandwich is inedible Roman, or the coffee pot isn’t full of freshly made coffee every two hours Logan! Replace the pot with a damn keurig and stop wasting coffee!”  


“Dee…” Patton tugged weakly on Deceit’s arm. “Bathroom, quick…”  


Deceit quickly twisted to help Patton stand and limp to the bathroom in time for him to drop to his knees and empty the meager contents of his stomach into the bowl.  


Roman grimaced in sympathy and Virgil covered his ears to block out the sound.  


“I don’t understand why this is going on. Why are you not simply better already?”  


“Because the heart’s a fragile organ, even more so when it’s mistreated.” Thomas said quietly, curled into a ball on the couch.  


“By the sword Excalibur! Thomas! What’s wrong?!” Roman exclaimed as he and Virgil rushed to their host’s side in horror at his emaciated appearance.  


“Logan, what’s wrong with Thomas?” Virgil turned his panicked face to Logan.  


“Nothing is physically wrong with him. I assure you this is not how he looks to the outside world.”  
“He’s wasting away because his heart is sick.” Patton whispered, tears in his eyes as Deceit led him back into the room, guiding him to sit near Thomas. Thomas moved his head to Patton’s lap and he weakly carded his fingers through his hair, crooning softly to him.  


“We’re not real Patton. We can’t get sick.” Logan pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.  


“No we’re not real but we’re extensions of Thomas. VIrgil, do you feel more stressed and drained when Thomas is experiencing anxiety? Roman, do you not suffer physically when Thomas experiences creative burnout or his pride is injured?” Deceit fixed a look at each of them, turning to Logan with both their affirmatives. “Don’t you get drained and overwhelmed when Thomas over works himself or over commits respectively?” When Logan nodded, he continued. “So when Thomas over commits and neglects his own emotional, mental and physical health, who do you think suffers?” He brought the glass of water to Patton’s lips again, resting a cold wash cloth against Thomas’ forehead in turn.  


“But…why?” Virgil whispered. “Why didn’t you tell us?”  


“Why did you assume I was okay being a floor mat?” Patton responded, slumping back against the couch, his meager energy drained.  


“How...can we even fix this?” Roman asked, pacing back and forth.  


“Because it’s an inconvenience to you? No. Because you care about Patton and Thomas? Yes.” Deceit snapped, turning back to Patton when the sick side made a soft noise for him.  


Patton cupped his cheek softly, stroking a thumb over the scales and the bags under his eyes. “I’m sorry I asked so much of you, that wasn’t fair of me.”  


“It’s what friends do Patton.” He whispered back softly, tilting his head into the touch.  


“If you guys have been busy charading about like this, then who has been taking care of other things around the Mind Palace. You both have jobs to do.” Logan had his glasses off and was rubbing at his temples in frustration.  


“Wow Logic, you’re both on a roll and dropping every ball if you don’t realise that we’ve chosen not to handle some things.”  


“Did someone say balls?!”  


“You didn’t!”  


“You!”  


“How dare you show up here?”  


“Hi Remus…” Patton leaned against him and Thomas gave a weak wave.  


“I have soup!”  


“Duke…. I told you, you’re not allowed to cook.”  


“Oh poopy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Will be continued….eventually….I promise….. Votes on whether Remus should stay active? Should the Shorts Verse come into play? Lemme know and maybe I’ll manage to write something new before another whole year passes.....  
> Also, I wanted to give this a happy ending, I really did....and I wanted the last installment to end happily but...I connect/project to/on Patton too hard y'all.


End file.
